Opaldia - Issue 2, Story 8

Hearing loss caused by some types of antibiotic could be prevented by screening people for a genetic change that increases their risk of this side effect, say scientists based at the Institute of Child Health in London. Around five per cent of deaf children in the UK have the gene change, called m1555A-G, which is even more common in other parts of the world.

Writing in the British Medical Journal recently, Maria Bitner-Glindzicz and Shamima Rahman, say that aminoglycosides – while valuable for treating serious infections such as tuberculosis – can cause severe and permanent hearing loss in people sensitive to their effects. Many individuals with the m1555A-G gene change become deaf at some point in their lives, but this risk is greatly increased if they take aminoglycosides.

A Spanish study has shown that a person with the m1555A-G change has a 38.9 per cent chance of becoming deaf by the age of 30, but this rises to 96.5 per cent in those who take the antibiotics. The authors call for a new study to find out how common the mutation is in the UK, to help gauge the cost-effectiveness of a screening programme for everyone who is prescribed these antibiotics.

They argue that while such a test currently costs £35, this would be lower if carried out in large numbers. Also, they point out that screening costs need to be weighed against the potential savings to the NHS and society – every child who becomes deaf is estimated to require £61,000 worth of care during their lifetime, plus a further £18,000 in educational support.

Sources:
Hearing Loss Due To Antibiotics May Be Prevented By Genetically Screening Patients Beforehand
Medical News Today
20/10/07
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/86150.php

Ototoxicity caused by aminoglycosides
BMJ 335:748-785 (2007)
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/extract/335/7624/784